


what we have is magic

by starryharts



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:06:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26677912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starryharts/pseuds/starryharts
Summary: “When I first started at Hogwarts, everything felt so new and unfamiliar. But each night during my first year, I’d look up at the stars and it would make me feel better, as it was something I was used to. Kind of grounded me, I guess. It was comforting.” Willie explained as he stared at the sky.But in that moment, Alex found himself looking at the Gryffindor boy, rather than the stars. “Finding comfort in something is always nice.”—Alex, an anxious Hufflepuff, meets a Gryffindor, Willie, who gives him an insight of what it’s like to break the rules.
Relationships: Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn/Julie Molina, Luke Patterson/Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 262





	1. Chapter One

When Alex found out he was a wizard, it was quite overwhelming. His parents were muggles, so there was no one he could really go to once he found out. In fact, he didn’t really like talking about it until he got on the train to Hogwarts, where he met Luke and Reggie, who made him feel comfortable with who he is. They both had parents who were witches and wizards, so they also helped him out with all the questions he had about the wizarding world that he was confused about. 

Despite finding friends who were familiar with magic and always helped him out, everything about Hogwarts and being a wizard in general made Alex anxious. What if he accidentally casted a serious spell on someone and they got hurt? Or if he failed all his exams because he couldn’t tell the difference between a unicorn and a pegasus? Most of the other muggle born students seemed excited for the years ahead, but Alex just felt nervous. 

Luckily, he was placed in Hufflepuff alongside Luke and Reggie, so he knew he wouldn’t be completely alone for his time at Hogwarts, he just hoped he could start to get used to being a part of the wizarding world as soon as possible. 

This nervous feeling didn’t stop after his first year, though. Luke and Reggie joined the quidditch team in their third year, but Alex decided to not try out. The thought of flying on a broom while bludgers were aiming to hit you didn’t sit well with him at all, but he was still supportive of his friends, and always went to their games. Some of his old friends might have called him a scaredy-cat, but Luke and Reggie understood, and told him that he didn’t have to do anything he wasn’t comfortable with. Alex was really glad he found them on the train in his first year, otherwise he may have been lost.

Everything was quite normal for the majority of his time at Hogwarts (well, as normal as it can get attending a school for witches and wizards) until he got to his sixth year, and the two boys told Alex that they had started dating over the summer break. Alex was really happy for them - they all told each other in their fourth year that they weren’t straight, which made Alex feel really comfortable, as his parents didn’t like the idea of him being gay at all. Since coming out to them, Hogwarts had been kind of a blessing, as he could get away from everything and be himself for most of the year. 

The only thing that worried Alex is that because Luke and Reggie were now dating, this meant they would want to spend more time together alone without Alex. Which was totally understandable, but he wasn’t really sure who to go to. He still had Julie and Flynn, but as they were in their fifth year, their study periods and free time rarely lined up, and they would be too busy studying for their OWLs. Not to mention they were also a couple, so they probably wouldn’t want Alex constantly hanging around him. 

But he didn’t tell anyone about this, since he knew his friends. They’d stop hanging out alone so Alex could come along. Alex didn’t want to do that to them, it wouldn’t be fair, so instead, he decided to keep it to himself. 

It was currently a Wednesday afternoon, which meant Luke and Reggie had quidditch practice. In these times, if he didn’t have a test to study for - Alex would often walk around the castle to clear his head. After walking around for a bit, he took a seat on one of the benches outside to enjoy the last few days of fall before it turned cold and he’d have to wear multiple layers around the school. Just as he started reading one of the books he loaned from the library to help him through his DADA class, he felt someone sit next to him.

“Must be Hufflepuff quidditch practice, right?” 

This made Alex turn, only to see a Gryffindor boy with long hair smirking at him. His uniform was slightly unkempt as his red and gold tie hung loosely around his neck, as though he quickly put on his uniform this morning. Alex laughed nervously, placing the book on his lap. “Uh yeah, but how did you know that’s why I was alone?” 

“C’mon dude, everyone knows you hang out with those two guys all the time. Well, at least, I notice. So whenever I see you alone, I know the other guys must be at practice.” The boy simply explains. 

“You’ve noticed me before?” Alex asked,feeling his face get flustered. 

“Of course. I’m Willie by the way.” He introduced himself with a grin.

“I’m Alex. Do you want to sit? I mean you don’t have too..“ Alex started, not wanting to seem too weird. But the boy sat down immediately, making Alex feel better. 

“So, is it right your friends started dating? Word kind of gets around in the common rooms when there isn’t something really drastic going on in the wizarding world.” He asked. Alex nodded with a grin. 

“Yeah, Luke and Reggie started dating in the break. I think they were holding off on telling me for a bit, but I could always tell they felt something for each other.” Alex told his new friend. Willie seemed to read his expression slightly. 

“Well that’s cool. But are you sure you’re totally good with it? You seemed kind of uneasy telling me that.” Willie said honestly. 

He hesitated, but somehow Willie saw right through him, so there was no way he could get out of this without telling the boy his thoughts. “I guess I’m just kind of worried about what I’m gonna do once they start wanting to hang out alone. I don’t want to stop them, but what if they forget about me? They may start to enjoy hanging out without me..” Alex said quietly. 

Willie gave him a sympathetic look. “Alex, I always see you guys hanging out together. When you’re with them, you guys are always laughing or talking and it’s like no one else matters in the world except you three. Sure, Luke and Reggie may start going on dates, but they’ll never forget about you.” Willie ended with a warm smile.

Willie then stood up, grabbing his things. “Look, I’ve got potions now, but when your friends are out on dates and stuff, come find me so you don’t have to be alone, okay?” 

With that, the long haired boy walked off into the hallways of the castle. Alex was left with a grin on his face as Willie’s offer stayed in his mind.


	2. Chapter Two

Ever since he met Willie, Alex would keep an eye out for him around the castle. He did this discreetly, as he didn’t want the others asking questions. The boys were making plans to do something when they go to Hogsmeade tomorrow, and Alex knew Luke and Reggie deserved some time alone.

“Uh, I may actually have to pass on Hogsmeade. I had a pretty intense week of classes and want to relax as much as I can before Monday. But you guys go, please, maybe you could go on a date, or something?” Alex suggested. Luke and Reggie looked at one another, finding it hard to take the offer.

“But we’ve never missed out on a Hogsmeade trip together. It won’t really feel the same.” Reggie started, with Luke nodding in agreement. 

“Yes, but when else are you guys gonna go on a date that’s outside of the school? You could go to The Three Broomsticks. Plus, I can always come with you guys next time.” Alex reassured them. 

The boys eventually nodded.“Okay. But we will bring you something back from Honeydukes.” Luke said with a smile.

With that decided, the boys continued on their way to class, and Alex couldn’t help but hope he’ll bump into Willie tomorrow whilst the guys are away. 

—

He saw the guys off the following day and smiled to himself as they walked along the path, hand in hand. Alex turned around once they were out of sight and walked back to the castle. The blonde boy found himself looking around more for the Gryffindor boy he encountered the other day, realising that he’ll be impossible to find in the big school. Alex also had the sudden thought that he may have gone to Hogsmeade with the other students. 

“Looking for someone?” a familiar voice said behind him. Alex spun around to see Willie, with that same smirk as when they first met plastered on his face.

“Didn’t feel like going out this weekend?” Willie asked, looking at the gates behind them.

Alex shook his head. “Not really, besides, I thought the guys could go on a date while they were out. There were only so many study dates they could go on before it became repetitive. What about you?” 

Willie looked to the ground. “Yeah.. I wasn’t allowed to go. When I stopped to talk to you the other day.. it may have made me really late for my potions class.” 

This made Alex feel bad. “Oh I’m so sorry, I could’ve talked to the Professor -,” He began to frantically say, but Willie playfully hit him in the chest.

“Don’t stress about it. You didn’t force me to talk to you. Besides, talking to you was much more interesting than making a Dreamless Sleep potion.” Willie explained with a laugh. 

Alex felt at ease after this, and couldn’t help but smile at the boy's nice words. “Well I enjoyed talking to you too.” 

The boys stared at each other in silence for a moment, and Alex could feel his heart race. Willie’s eyes suddenly lit up. “I’ve got an idea.” 

Before he had time to ask where they were going, Willie had grabbed his hand and was dragging him through the castle. Alex’s heart continued to race as they travelled through the castle, liking the feeling of his hand being held. 

They eventually arrived in front of the kitchen, and Alex knew what the boy was planning to do. “Willie - we can’t. It’s the middle of the day!” 

“We’ll be fine! Not many house elves are in here during this time. There are a few, but I’ve sneaked past them many times before.” Willie reassured him. 

“You’ve done this before?!” Alex asked in a shocked whisper, to which the boy smirked. 

“Dude, your common room is so close to here, you’re telling me you’ve never thought of sneaking in here?” Willie asked.

“No! Not once!” Alex responded instantly. He then took a deep breath and smiled. “But I guess it’s not too bad.. it's just the kitchen.” 

Willie smiled at that. “Alohomora..” He whispered, the charm unlocking the door effortlessly. 

They sneaked into the kitchen, Willie grabbing random snacks on the way through as they hid from the few house elves that were doing the dishes. The boys grabbed some last pieces of food before they sneaked out again, quickly rushing to a private spot in the building where they were unlikely to be found. 

Alex found himself breathless from running around everywhere. “Any reason we did that?”

Willie shrugged as he ate some bacon from their small stash of food. “It looked like you needed to clear your head. Things around here can get pretty intense.”

He felt himself blush and looked to the ground to hide it. “Well thank you, I don’t know how you get me so well. We just met a few days ago and I feel like I could go anywhere with you and be okay.” Alex admitted. 

The long haired boy stared at him longingly, his warm eyes drawing Alex in. “I mean, I guess it’s just me being a Gryffindor. House of the brave, and all that.”

Alex shook his head at that comment. “No, it wouldn’t matter what colour your robes were, it’s just you, Willie. It’s nice.” He told the boy honestly. 

It was now Willie’s turn to look at the ground. “Thank you Alex, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” 

—

Alex had a hard time focusing on the details of Luke and Reggie’s date, as he was too busy thinking about his day with Willie. No one had ever really had this effect on him before. Constantly thinking about him, hoping he’d see the other boy around the halls, he got butterflies just thinking about Willie’s smirk. 

“So yeah! It was a pretty fun date, I mean we did get kicked out of The Three Broomsticks, but that’s what made the date special!” Reggie finished, snapping Alex out of his thoughts. They got kicked out? It was too late to ask how, otherwise they’d start asking questions about why he wasn’t listening.

“I’m so glad you guys had a good day out, hope you can do it again soon.” Alex said with a smile, but held off from telling them about his day. He didn’t want them to make a big deal about what he has with Willie, and he doesn’t want to get his hopes up just yet.


	3. Chapter Three

Alex was sitting with Julie and Flynn in the library when he saw a note drop next to his book. He turned to see who left it, but all he caught was a flash of long hair walking around the corner. Grabbing the note, he unfolded it under the table to see ‘Meet me outside the Hufflepuff common room after lights out’. Alex felt his heart start to race again at the thought of sneaking out late to see Willie, and he obviously didn’t hide his expression well, because the two girls immediately noticed. 

“What are you smiling about? Pass another exam?” Flynn questioned, closing the book she was reading. 

“Something like that,” Alex answered, hoping to move on from the subject. 

The girls continued to talk about their next class and how they are dreading it, but Alex was just trying to think about how he could sneak out without anyone noticing. 

—

Fortunately, Luke and Reggie fell asleep quite quickly after a busy day of classes, so he was quick to sneak out of his room that he shared with them and some of the other Hufflepuff boys. Quickly creeping past the common room, he left the room, trying to stop himself from turning back. 

As promised, there stood Willie, his back lent against the castle walls, looking surprisingly relaxed. “Glad you decided to take me up on my offer,” Willie greeted him, motioning for him to follow.

The boys stuck close to the walls, trying their best to stay quiet to draw as little attention as they could to themselves. Alex noticed Willie was starting to head outside the castle, and he started to get nervous.

“Um... where exactly are we going?” Alex queried in a hushed tone. 

“Forbidden Forest.” Willie simply answered.

This response made Alex stop in his tracks. “But isn’t that place dangerous? What if something happens out there?” 

Willie turns to Alex, grabbing his hands. “Look, we don’t have to go there if you don’t want to. I just thought it may be some fun, and I promise I can protect you. But we can just hang out in the castle, I find messing with the paintings can be quite entertaining.” The boy says with a comforting smile. 

Alex hesitated, but he soon nodded. “Let’s go there then. I’ve heard some pretty wild stories about what happens in that forest. It may be cool to have my own story to tell.” 

Willie gave him a warm look and continued to hold his hand as they sneaked outside, trying their best to avoid Hagrid’s Hut. They eventually made it to the dark forest, and Alex shivered at the cold night air. 

“Here.” Willie whispered as he wrapped his Gryffindor scarf around him, instantly making Alex feel warmer. 

Alex felt his cheeks grow warm as he fiddled with the tassels on the fabric “Thanks..”.

Deep down, he hoped Willie wouldn’t ask for it back at the end of the night. 

—

The boys had been walking around the forest for a small while, and Willie helped Alex feel less nervous by holding his hand, and telling him to look at the stars in the sky. 

“When I first started at Hogwarts, everything felt so new and unfamiliar. But each night during my first year, I’d look up at the stars and it would make me feel better, as it was something I was used to. Kind of grounded me, I guess. It was comforting.” Willie explained as he stared at the sky. 

But in that moment, Alex found himself looking at the Gryffindor boy, rather than the stars. “Finding comfort in something is always nice.” 

This special moment was soon interrupted, as both boys felt a sudden chill in the air, like ice. Alex felt his anxiety grow as the forest became darker, and more eerie. 

Then, from the shadows of the dark woods, a black, floating figure appeared over the boys and Alex’s heart stopped.

It was a dementor. 

Alex felt himself freeze in place, unable to move as the figure began floating toward him. Just as he felt the smallest bit of hope getting sucked out of him, Willie stepped in front of him, pointing his wand toward the evil creature. 

“Expecto Patronum!” The boy shouted, and his patronus immediately appeared, the St. Bernard protecting the boys instantly. This was the last thing Alex saw, before his vision turned black. 

—

When Alex woke up, he was in his bed with a worried Luke and Reggie looking over him. Slightly confused, he sat up, unsure of how he got from the forest to there.

“Dude, what happened? A professor found you passed out last night in front of the common room,” Luke informed him. “And why are you wearing a Gryffindor scarf?” He quickly added.

“Willie..” Alex whispered to himself as he placed a hand on the piece of clothing around his neck. 

“Willie? Is that a code word something?” Reggie asked, genuinely confused. 

Alex sighed, knowing he has to tell the guys what has been happening. “He’s.. a friend. I met him recently and we’ve been hanging out. Last night he wanted me to come out with him after we were supposed to be asleep. I know it wasn’t the best idea but something about him.. I want to spend as much time as possible with him. Oh, and he’s a Gryffindor, hence the scarf - he gave it to me because I got cold.” 

Luke and Reggie grinned at one another.

“So what I’m hearing is that you’ve been sneaking around with a cute guy that you definitely have a crush on.” Luke responded, knowing Alex too well. 

Alex goes red. “I didn’t say that!”

“But you know he’s right,” Reggie added, nudging him playfully. 

As the two boys tried to convince Alex to ask the Gryffindor boy out, he could only hope that Willie was doing okay after what happened last night.


	4. Chapter Four

Alex tried his best to find Willie, but it was as though the boy disappeared. This didn’t help with his anxiety, all that was running through his mind was that another creature got to him while they were in the forest, and he was gone. Just as this thought clouded his mind, Alex caught a glimpse of the Gryffindor boy, sitting on one of the benches just outside of the castle.

“Willie!” Alex called from the other side of the courtyard with a wave, but all he got in return was a frown and the boy running away.

This made Alex’s heart sink. Did he do something wrong? Was everything they did together just some stupid prank organised by Willie and some of the other Gryffindors in his year?

He felt himself tear up. Why did he have to get so emotional over everything? Wiping the stray tears that were running down his face, he looked to the ground and continued walking to class, not wanting anyone to look at him in this state. 

—

He was sitting alone while Luke and Reggie were at quidditch practice. Even though it was only for a short while, he missed walking around with Willie during these times. Each Wednesday Willie would come find him and they’d walk the castle halls together, talking about anything that came to mind. But it looks like that was only a short time thing, as Willie obviously didn’t want anything to do with him anymore. 

He looked around the courtyard, and as if the universe wanted him to hurt, he made eye contact with Willie again. Alex knew he should just leave it, but he at least wanted a reason why Willie had decided to stop talking to him. Taking a deep breath, he approached the boy quickly, not wanting him to run off again.

As Alex got to the boy, Willie looked down. “Alex.. I should go.” He then turned to walk away, and that familiar sinking feeling returned to Alex’s heart..

Standing his ground, the Hufflepuff didn't allow him to go, grabbing his arm lightly. “No. Not until you tell me what I did wrong. I’m really sorry for what I did - whatever it was. Could you at least tell me what I did? So I can try and fix it?” 

Willie looked at Alex again with those warm eyes. Those same eyes he learned to trust all those times they broke the rules, or when he opened up to him. Alex almost forced himself to look away, not wanting to fall for them again.

“You’re not the problem, Alex.. I am.” Willie admitted. This made Alex confused, and Willie could tell he wanted more of an explanation.

“Alex, you would have never gotten in trouble or done anything dangerous before you met me. I came into your life for a small moment and a dementor almost.. it did get to you. All because I had a stupid idea to go somewhere dangerous. It’s best for you to stop hanging out with me, you’ll only get hurt more. Besides, you still have Luke and Reggie, they truly care about you and the reason why I’m doing this is because I care about you too. I love hanging out and being with you, but I’ll only get you hurt. This school is dangerous enough as it is, you don’t need me making your life even riskier.” Willie finished, the sadness evident in his voice that made Alex’s heart break. 

Everything he said made Alex hurt. He didn’t want Willie to go away because of a few risky outings. They were exciting for Alex. Sure, the dementor was terrifying, but Willie protected him, as he promised. 

The Hufflepuff grabbed Willie’s hand, holding it comfortingly. “Willie, I knew what I was getting myself into when I went out with you. With any other Gryffindor, I would’ve returned to the Hufflepuff common room straight away. But because it was you, I knew I would be safe. Everytime we hang out, you make me feel protected and okay. That dementor? I would’ve been in so much trouble if you weren’t there. That night, you told me you would protect me and I believed you. And that’s exactly what you did. We’re wizards, stuff like that is going to happen to me no matter who I hang out with. So please, don’t end whatever we have because you think you put me in danger. I put myself in danger, but it’s because of you thatI feel safe enough to do that.” 

The boys stared at each other again, and Alex brought his hands to cup Willie’s cheeks. Willie placed his hand over Alex’s, his warm eyes drawing the Hufflepuff in, yet again. With his heart racing, Alex closed the gap between them, allowing himself to finally kiss the shorter boy. The other returned the kiss instantly, and Alex couldn’t make his heart stop racing in this beautiful moment. They pulled away slowly, resting their foreheads together.

“Okay, I’m not going anywhere.” Willie whispered, before drawing Alex in for another kiss.


End file.
